


you're in my veins (and I cannot get you out)

by violntine



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-23
Updated: 2018-02-25
Packaged: 2019-03-22 21:38:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13773105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/violntine/pseuds/violntine
Summary: The princess life was never for Evie; she knew that the moment she laid eyes on a girl with purple hair and a smirk so wicked it left people cowering.But not her. Never her.





	1. my arms are tough, but they can be bent

All her life Evie had been told that her sole purpose in life was to find a handsome prince who’d take care of her every need, and for most of her life she believed it. It was a mantra playing over and over in her head; find a prince, seduce him, get married, live in a big castle for the rest of her life and play the role of a mindless housewife. That was the end goal of all her mother’s efforts in training her to be a princess, but even after all the hours of being told to watch her weight, or to always stand up straight or else no boy would want her, Evie knew that life wasn’t for her. 

It was her mother’s. The Evil Queen. 

After leaving for Auradon, the little voice in her head reminding her of why she was here, which not so surprisingly sounded like her mother, slowly disappeared. By the time the four of them had decided to be good, it was completely gone. 

No more did she have the guilt of not living up to her mother’s expectations; she was free to be who wanted; free to love who she wanted. 

————————————

At first, Evie believed she found the warmth she longed for in the form of Doug. He was sweet, always had her best interests at heart and treated her more than just a pretty face. 

The butterflies she felt with him were pure and everything good, and they should’ve made Evie happy, but they didn’t. At least not enough to make her believe her happily ever after was meant to be with him.

Because they never compared to what she felt when she was with her.

Mal. 

Her best friend. 

Her Mal.

The girl who spent most of her time behind a stubborn facade to hide the fact that she wanted nothing more than to be loved and accepted. However, no matter how hard she tried, Evie could always see through it; could always see the pain of knowing she’d never be truly loved by her mother. 

Evie tells herself it’s because she’s going through the same thing, but it’s more than that. Deep down in her heart she knows the truth, even if she doesn’t entirely understand it. 

So, when Mal goes back to the isle, she’s more than surprised. She’s disappointed in herself for not seeing the signs; for being so perfectly content in her own fairytale world that she failed to see her own best friend was drowning.

It doesn’t take much for her to decide to go after Mal. That’s a given after all they’ve gone through together. What she doesn’t expect is Ben coming along. Ben, sweet Ben, who’s only ever known the innocence and safety of his kingdom; who is so willing to put himself in danger by traveling to the one place where people despise princes and princesses and anything good, because of one girl. The girl he loves.

Evie can see it the second she informs him of Mal’s disappearance; can sense it by how quickly he makes the decision to leave everything behind until she’s back in his arms; knows because she feels it too.

But she’s better at hiding it than him. She’s had years of practice of hiding her true emotions to the point where it is now second nature for her. That’s one thing she has her mother to thank for. That, and the beauty tips. 

———————————— 

It all happens quickly once they’re back on the Isle.

Ben confronts Mal. She rejects him. Ben gets kidnapped by their sworn enemies. Mal calls them idiots for bringing him here, and then they come up with a plan to save him.

The boys go back to Auradon and return with backup despite being told not to draw attention, but she’s not sure it’s a good idea to complain when they have Lonnie now. The doubts she originally carried have diminished slightly, but they remain faint in the back of her mind, only being completely forgotten about when she looks at her purple-haired friend. 

Mal’s confidence and strength is what’s kept her going for as long as she can remember, and even now nothing has changed. 

Walking through the drainpipe to the shipyard, all Evie can focus on is the presence by her side. The others had gone ahead, leaving the two girls to dwell on their own inner thoughts about what occurred in their hideout; how they expressed that even though they’d be worlds apart, they wouldn’t ever truly leave one another.

It wasn’t often that Mal allowed herself to be vulnerable, and the rare occasions of when it did happen often left Evie with an aching heart and a voice in her head telling her to let out all her inner secrets; to reach out and confess all the love she claimed that was only reserved for the small girl by her side. Now was no different. 

“Mal..?” Her voice was low, laced with delicacy, and with the walls surrounding them, it echoed through the tunnel.

The seconds between Mal’s response felt more like minutes turning into hours, leaving the bluenette with the worry that she’d been too obvious; that Mal was going to turn around and laugh in her face and reveal that she had known all along about her feelings. Her chances of ever being content with the fact she’d never get the chance to hold the girl like Ben did slim to none. 

“Yeah, E?” Mal answered softly without even glancing in Evie’s direction, and for that, she was grateful. One glimpse of her emerald eyes and she was sure she’d fall apart right then and there.

Now it was her turn to let the silence drag on. 

Her mind was racing, leaving her unable to focus properly on why she’d initiated this conversation when she was perfectly fine moments ago with only her thoughts and the consistent echoing of footsteps on metal to keep her company. 

Well, she was close to fine.

But now Mal was waiting for her to continue talking and suddenly the thought of revealing far too much made her stomach twist and turn into knots. The thought of losing her best friend, the one she’s loved for as long as she can remember, made her heart throb and feel as if it were seconds away from cracking into multiple pieces. 

“…Are you sure this plan will work?” Evie found herself saying instead of the revelation that was sitting in her throat, hoping the smaller girl wouldn’t think much of her delayed response. 

“I do.” Mal stated firmly before adding in a whisper, “It has to…” 

The conversation ended there, with Evie only humming softly in acknowledgement to her friend’s words.

Although she wasn’t entirely sure what the outcome would be from the exchange, she did know that it wouldn’t be done without a fight. Uma was unpredictable; a rainfall that could easily transform into a storm if one wrong move was made. In different circumstances, the VKs would face her without issue, but here they had to worry about Ben. 

Ben was the priority, Evie reminded herself. She needed to focus on saving him and only him. 

That was easier said than done when the words spoken in the space between Mal and Evie replayed constantly in her head, reminding her that after they’d rescued the king, the one person she came here for wouldn’t be returning with them. 

————————————

Everything’s going to plan. She thinks they’re in the all clear until they’re not, and everything isn’t going to plan.

Uma isn’t an idiot. In fact, she’s a lot smarter than any of the other villains on this goddamn island. So, they really should’ve seen it coming when she asks to see the wand in action, to make sure that she isn’t being played. 

Evie panics; literally feels the moment her stomach drops in realisation that this is it. They won’t be saving Ben nor returning to Auradon anytime soon; they’re going to be spending the rest of their days on this wretched island. It feels as if they’re stuck in one of Evie’s very realistic nightmares.

Then, by chance, Dude appears and saves the day, though only momentarily. (she has to remember to thank Carlos for letting him flunk obedience class once they’re back home.) 

Ben’s back with the group and within seconds she can hear the disappointed groans of the pirates when the wand doesn’t work for them, shortly followed by the enraged shout from their captain. 

What comes after is what they tried so hard to avoid; a clash of swords accompanied with the occasional smoke bombs being thrown. 

Every single of them are busy with fighting off one of the pirates. (In Lonnie’s case, two pirates with two swords in each hand to fend them off.)

Evie, on the other hand, is in the middle of a duel with one pirate whose smile is crooked enough to send chills down her spine. She doesn’t miss the glint of mischief in his eyes either, nor the way his speech is slightly slurred when he speaks.

“Aw, princess wants to play? I promise to go easy on you.”

Refusing to satisfy him with any type of worded answer, the bluenette simply lunged forward with her sword pointed in his direction, aiming at his shoulder. It was an easy move for him to obstruct with his own blade, the impact of their metal clashing reverberating throughout her arm so much so she felt the hairs on her skin stand up. 

It went on for some time; Evie attempting to throw him off guard with some type of outlandish attack which only seemed to provoke him further, and he, in turn, would strike with more force than before. 

Her attention was solely focused on him and blocking all of his moves. And then it wasn’t.

Time seemed to have slowed down in her world when the sound of a familiar voice echoed into the oceanic air, and without even having to look in the direction of where it came from, she knew who is was. 

Evie would recognise that voice even in a sea of different people, her ears honed to pick it out no matter the circumstance. But to hear it now, among the continual sound of sword on sword and indistinct shouts of others, made all the colour drain from her face.

Very briefly, her dark eyes glimpse at the sight of Uma, with her wicked smirk, pushing against Mal, and they’re dangerously close to the edge of the boardwalk. She knows she shouldn’t worry, that the girl she’s come to adore is more than capable of defending herself, but despite being well aware of this, she can not tear her gaze away. 

She never can when it comes to Mal. 

This proves to be a fatal mistake, as so abruptly she feels the right side of her body sting due to the contact of steel with her now torn jacket. She isn’t entirely sure whether it’s only a mere cut, or if the pirate had been able to successfully run the tip of his blade through her stomach. From the amount of pain surging up her arm and chest, she believes it to be the latter. 

“Ugh!” Her free hand comes to rest on the bleeding laceration and she clenches her jaw, angry more at herself than anything for becoming distracted. The smug-looking pirate in front of her is what she chooses to unleash her temper on, and so she does. He’s unable to properly defend himself from Evie who’s currently going through an adrenaline rush before all the energy leaves her body. 

He’s down within a few moments, giving her a chance to catch her breath and compose herself, but all that seems useless now. 

The pain on her side is completely unbearable, even the smallest movement has her groaning and wincing in agony. She’s only capable of taking a few steps forward until she’s leaning against a wooden plank for support, her feet leading her to where Mal is before she knows it.

Because even in the most dire situation, her mind is always consumed with Mal and everything about her. 

Because even if she doesn’t realise it herself, Mal is her salvation. 

She’s all Evie can focus on, and even now, while her crimson-tainted hands fumble to stop the bleeding and all her senses numb, Mal is the only thing she can think about. 

A flash of purple is the last thing she sees before the darkness finally takes over; the pain from her wound being forgotten as all she’s left with is an empty heart.


	2. you left me burning with the embers

On the Isle, there were two types of people. 

The hunters, and the hunted. 

The hunters were the ones who taunted those considered beneath them, and used their power to take whatever they wanted. As for the hunted… well, they weren’t as lucky as the others. 

Evie always thought herself as one of the hunters. That was, until she met a girl with wild green eyes and wings suited for a dragon sewn on her jacket. 

Well, they hadn’t officially ‘met’, little Evie had only caught glimpses of her purple hair in the market and that was enough to captivate her. Despite not knowing her name, she couldn’t help the questions in relation to the mystery girl that escaped her perfect lips. 

“Mommy, who’s the girl with purple hair?” 

“Do you think she and I could be friends?”

“Can I invite her to my birthday party?” 

Mal. She learns the girl’s name and speaking it always seems to leave her in a haze; as if the girl is some sort of forbidden magic and only Evie can feel the intensity of it.

Her other questions are answered with disgust; the same tone her mother uses when she’s slouched or is unable to perfect her makeup after three-hour long sessions of watching the woman. 

“Evie, we do not associate ourself with Maleficent and her daughter. They are nothing compared to us, remember that.”

“And most importantly, we do not infatuate over troublesome girls, that is reserved for princes and kings with castles.”

Yes, mother, is what she says in response. 

But what if I don’t want a prince, is left unspoken.

She learns that the unexplainable feeling in her chest isn’t meant for Mal. It’s for all the boys that wear a crown upon their head and have dashing smiles, who can make all her wildest dreams come true.

She learns that what she wants isn’t important when her mother has control of every aspect of her life, when she is the only way her mother can be seated on a throne and living in the kingdom she lost all those years ago. 

So, Evie locks up that part of her and forgets. 

Forgets the way Mal has her undivided attention in the crowded market as she watches from her tower, giggling to herself at all the mischief created from one girl. Forgets the way Mal makes her think about life outside of the Isle and the possibility of finally accepting herself. 

She forgets until there’s a hole carved into her heart from pretending to be something she isn’t, but she doesn’t feel it. She can’t after having grown used to the emptiness so much so that it is now normal. 

————————————

Not inviting Mal to her sixth birthday is what leaves little Evie and the Evil Queen banished to their castle for ten years. 

Ten years of hearing nothing but the voice of her mother telling her what princes want and do not want, occasionally mimicking the magic mirror that no longer speaks.

Ten years of Evie learning the ways of a princess and how beauty is everything and all a girl needs.

Ten years of Evie imagining the purple-haired girl and what she’d look like now every night, the mere thought leaving a bitter taste on the tip of her tongue as she knows she won’t ever be able to see Mal with her own two eyes. 

These assumptions are dismissed the day her mother tells her that she’s leaving to go to a real school; one where there’s more lessons than the few she’s been given every single day.

Dragon Hall, is what it’s called, and on her first day, it isn’t entirely what she expected it to be. 

Sure, a school full of villain kids wasn’t exactly a place where there’d be any of tranquility, but she anticipated at least some kind of…composure. 

The last thing she expected to see was a familiar shade of purple, especially the menacing gaze which accompanied the hardened features as soon as Evie entered the classroom.

————————————

Mal hates Evie. 

She figures that out within the first hour of class, as the girl isn’t entirely good at concealing her feelings. (That, or she simply doesn’t care enough to hide it.) 

Also, the countless incidents that occur in the day which leave Evie uninvited and then invited to Mal’s party, and later locked in a closet full of bear traps gives it away.

She doesn’t know why the girl is so resentful towards her. She figures it’s because of what happened when they were children, but that was ten years ago. Mal couldn’t possibly be able to hold a grudge for that long, could she? 

Mal could, and she does.

So, call Evie shellshocked when she’s dragged along through the Isle of the Doomed to retrieve Maleficent’s sceptre, with Carlos and Jay. Why Mal would want her, the girl she absolutely despises there is beyond her, but she’s in no position to question it or argue. 

The journey involves gargoyles, a cave full of sand and room which contains her mother’s favourite possession; mirrors. At the end of this all is the throne room, where the staff waits for their arrival. 

Evie’s the first one to see it, but within the dark, damp chamber, it almost looks powerless; like an ordinary stick, but she knows better. Just like Mal, she can feel the magic pulsing through her veins and pays no mind to the sensation in her gut telling her to not move any closer, too overwhelmed by the allure of what secrets the sceptre holds. 

She’s so close to grazing her fingertip over the surface until the sound of a familiar voice echoes throughout the large room and tells her stop, and so she does. 

Mal touches it before she can and then she’s collapsed onto the floor, eyes shut tight like she’s fallen asleep. 

What feels like an eternity of the three of them trying to wake Mal up is really only a few minutes, and when she’s back with them (the sceptre no longer in her hand), she explains the curse that would’ve left Evie in a thousand year sleep if she were the one to grab Maleficent’s staff.

Evie watches as Mal avoids her gaze on the way back to the Isle. 

Wonders how although she claims to hate the bluenette, she still sacrificed herself to save her. 

Feels the part of herself which she’d hidden away for long flicker and come alive, though only for a brief moment. 

————————————

“So, does this mean you don’t hate me?” Evie finds herself speaking when the boys have parted ways, leaving only her and Mal.

The question had been on the tip of her tongue since they left the Forbidden Fortress, and as now it was only the two of them, there wouldn’t be a better time to ask. 

At first, she thinks it was a mistake to even open her mouth as Mal stops in her tracks, and she can feel her own heart stop as well at the sight. The only sounds that fill the gap of silence between them is the soft breeze and occasional shout of people in the distance, leaving Evie to wonder if she’s going to get a response. 

She does. 

“I never hated you.” It’s quiet and gentle, but still she’s able to hear Mal. And for the first time since their offical meeting, this was the only time Evie’d heard her speak with an emotion that wasn’t anger. There was only vulnerability and truth, which made her wonder if this was the real Mal. 

Evie is at a loss for words at the sudden revelation, despite her being the one to cause it. She isn’t sure what to say to that and a small part of her is expecting Mal to turn around with a wicked smile and exclaim she was only joking, but it never comes. 

Instead, she’s met with another low voice, the owner of it still refusing to meet her gaze. 

“I was just upset because…” There’s a pause, and in that moment she’s sure she can feel the vast space that’d been wedged between them inch closer. “Because I wanted to be your friend and you didn’t want to be mine. You didn’t invite me to your party and I thought that meant I wasn’t good, or evil, enough to be in your company.” She adds, for clarification, but Evie understands well enough.

Once the words are lingering in the air, Mal finally turns around and locks her virescent eyes with hazel ones. The first thing Evie notices is how different she looks under the moonlight; how the shade of her hair glimmers and looks soft enough to touch. Suddenly the bluenette is back to being the same girl in her tower; the one who spent hours out on the balcony in hopes that she would catch a glimpse of the same fairy who was now standing in front of her. 

Her heart aches and bursts with both exhilaration and fear. Exhilaration because she’s finally getting the one thing six-year old Evie ever wanted, and fear because she knows that as soon as she’s done here, she’ll return to her mother and go back to pretending. As much as she doesn’t want that, Evie knows it’s the right thing to do. 

“I… I’m sorry for not inviting you. I did ask my mother, but she wasn’t entirely too fond on the idea. If I could go back and redo it, I would.” Evie utters with a faint smile playing at her lips, pushing away the voice of her mother who would tell her that her daughter looks so weak in this moment. 

All that matters to her right now is Mal. 

Mal, the girl who’d consumed her dreams for years since their first encounter.

Mal, the girl who’s staring at Evie.

Mal, the girl who Evie has a crush on. 

“It’s fine. Bygones be bygones, right?” At that, she extends her hand between them and looks expectantly at the bluenette, her features unwavering. “So, friends?”

Evie nods, thinking it best not to push the matter further when it’d taken so long for Mal to put aside her resentment. She intertwines their fingers with the same smile in place, ignoring how her fingertips buzz at the contact and how it sends electricity through her entire body. 

“And let’s keep this between us, huh? I don’t want to ruin my reputation.” Mal concludes once they’re apart, and Evie can’t contain the giggle that spills out of her perfect lips. 

————————————

During the walk home, Evie cherishes the feeling of pure happiness, knowing that as soon as she enters those doors, it’ll fade away to nothing again.

She remembers how the Isle of the lost is similar to a jungle, where it’s survival of the fittest, and she thinks that if this were a game of love instead, she’d lose. 

Because Mal, unbeknownst to her, has a hold on Evie's heart so tight that it's made her weak in all the ways she'd been told that only a prince could make possible. And the one thing that makes her even more afraid is how she knows that she'd gladly let herself succumb to the affect Mal has on her. 

For once, Evie feels that she is no longer one of the hunters, because she'd allowed herself to be hunted and for the hollowness in her chest to be brought back and remind her of all the things she's not, but this time it wasn't alone. 

It was faint, but she knew it was there deep inside her chest; a small, purple flame, burning bright despite all the attempts that'd been made to diminish it. It was there for one reason and one reason only. 

It was there for Mal.


	3. I have wounds only you can mend

Evie’s dreams often involved the castle from the Isle; the one she spent countless nights and days trapped inside, with only the company of her beauty obsessed mother. More than often she found herself escaping to the balcony, the only place where she could get a taste of freedom with the breeze brushing through her sapphire locks and offering her a view of the entire Isle and beyond. 

She always stepped to the edge, glimpsing down below to the streets and wondering what it would feel like to fall down and fly through the air without a care in the world. Every time she was so close to finding out, but something, or someone, would stop her. A voice whispering in her ear, telling her to ignore the temptation to find out what it was like to be free. 

This time was different. 

Evie stood at the edge and waited, waited for the voice that never came. Instead, she was met with a familiar presence, one she would recognise no matter the circumstance, with her unnerving aura and voice so roguish it made the hair on her neck stand up. Evie was so infatuated with the feeling she didn’t even think to question how she managed to get up here without first encountering her mother.

“What are you doing out here?” 

She pivoted around to face the owner of the resounding voice, immediately regretting it as now she was forced to lock eyes with the one person who made her heart flutter like it never had before.

“Just… enjoying the view.” Her gaze flickered down the fey’s pale features, taking note of even the smallest detail; from the way her brows remained furrowed regardless of how she was feeling in that moment, to the way her bottom lip jutted out more than the top when she smirked. Every part was perfect. 

“Pft, the view? The only thing you can see from up here is all the other losers and their sad lives.” Well, she wasn’t wrong there. But Evie never really paid the people any mind, too engrossed on her own thoughts and how she longed to be somewhere other than the Isle. 

The bluenette leaned against the parapet, shifting her attention to Pirate’s Bay and beyond that, Auradon. She heard Mal move behind her, and soon enough she was by her side, their arms gently brushing against one another.

“What do you think it’s like over there?” Evie didn’t mean to ask, but the question slipped out before she even realised. She’d always been so curious about Auradon, and with the belief drilled into her head that she needed a prince to ever feel complete, she knew her chances of ever finding one would be on the land of fairytales and everything good. For that, she ached to escape the Isle and go find her life’s purpose, prince or no prince.

Mal, on the other hand, obviously didn’t share her sentiment. 

“Probably has loads of annoying princesses and princes who think they’re the most spectacular people in the world.” 

Evie didn’t answer, instead opting to stay quiet and allow herself to dwell on what the life of a princess in Auradon would be like. Her silence didn’t go by unnoticed and from the corner of her eye, she saw Mal glance at her before following her gaze to the land in question. 

“Why? Do you want to go to Auradon or something?” 

Humming softly, Evie only took a moment to think over the enquiry, deciding that there was no point of lying as she knew Mal would merely see right through it. 

“I…I want to go there with _you_.” Her voice was a whisper, so low in fact that she thought it might be difficult to hear over the distant chatter and other commotion from below them. 

The revelation felt like a heavy weight being lifted over her chest, and all that she’d tried so hard to hide away was now bare for Mal to witness. She didn’t care anymore, having grown so tired of pretending to be something she wasn’t and never will be. 

When Mal didn’t answer, Evie continued. “I want us to run away together, Mal. Aren’t you tired of being rotten to the core and trying to prove ourselves to our parents? They’ll never see how great we are. She’ll never see how great you are like I do, Mal.” The words poured out without filter and by the time she realised all was left hanging in the air between them, she couldn’t bring herself to look at the other. 

“Do you really want that..?” 

Evie only nodded, instinctively biting down on her tongue to stop herself from uttering the three little words that were burning in her throat and begging to be said aloud. 

Mal’s hands delicately came resting down on her shoulders, gently nudging her so she was no longer facing the view from the balcony, but a different view which made her heart soar. 

“Then all you need to do is wake up.” 

Wait, what?

Before Evie could question what she meant by that, she was abruptly pushed backwards, and with nothing to reach out for, she fell over the barricade and dropped down through the air.

There was no panic, surprisingly, as she neared the bottom. The only thing pulsing through her veins was excitement; the same sensation which she experienced whenever her and Mal would come in contact, whether it be with words or brief touches. Her skin buzzed with electricity and for a moment, she believed that if loving Mal always felt like this, then perhaps her not ever reciprocating Evie’s feelings wasn’t the worst thing in the world. How could it be when simply being the girl’s presence always left her on cloud nine?

She’s violently ripped away from her daydream by a sharp tingling in the right side of her body, a voice clear as day murmuring two words and echoing in her head. 

_Wake up. Wake up. Wake up._

And so, she does.

————————————

Evie bolts forward when all her senses come back to her, a movement she regrets in a matter of seconds as it causes her entire body to ache and suddenly it’s hard to breathe. It’s like all the air has been taken out of her lungs from that one motion and she’s left to deal with the repercussions of moving too fast. 

Once she’s somehow managed to calm herself down and breath steady again, Evie looks around the room and realises where exactly she is. She’s back in her dorm room at Auradon, but everything now feels different. The aura of the room isn’t what it usually is, with her love of fashion and Mal’s dreading of all the events she and Ben have coming up, it’s normally a mix of both merriment and gloominess. 

But now there’s only a sombre ambience and after carefully thinking over it, she remembers what happened. Their time on the Isle is a little hazy, but she knows all of it is real. 

She knows that Mal running away due to the pressure of being Lady of the Court is real, how her, Jay, Carlos and Ben went after her in hopes that they’d remind her that the Isle isn’t a part of who they are anymore. 

She knows that Ben gets kidnapped and therefore this leads to an all out war between the pirates and villain kids. 

She also knows that the wound on her side is very, very _real,_ and can remember the very moment the serrated blade came in contact due to her carelessness. 

The pain is real, even now after what she assumes is a day or two later and her cut is now bandaged up. 

Evie moves to sit up again, this time making sure to not put too much pressure on her right side and to not rush. It takes some time, but eventually she manages and now the entire room is in her line of sight. Almost subconsciously, her gaze focuses on the one thing she never seems to miss and she wonders how she didn’t realise another person was in the room before. 

Mal is at the edge of her bed, her head slouched down onto the soft mattress with her eyes fluttered shut, fast asleep. The sight of her best friend so content, so peaceful fills her with gratification. It’s the first time in weeks that she’s seen Mal so calm, it almost doesn’t feel real. 

Instinctively her hand reaches out, skimming two of her fingers through Mal’s hair. She can’t say she’s embarrassed when the purple-haired girl stirs awake, not when she’s privileged with the sight of a drowsy Mal, blinking away the sleep. That doesn’t last long once the realisation of Evie being awake sinks in, and suddenly she’s being enveloped in the girl’s slim arms. 

“Evie! Thank Lucifer you’re awake. I was so worried..” Mal’s voice is muffled against the fabric of her clothes, but even then she can still decipher the relief and concern etched in her tone. 

Evie only softens in the warmth of her best friend’s embrace, ignoring the way her head spins from the close contact. It doesn’t last long as soon enough she’s reminded of her wounded side by Mal suddenly pulling back and accidentally bumping against the gauze, causing her to visibly wince. 

“Oh, crap… I’m sorry. Are you okay?” 

Nodding slowly, the edges of her lips curve into a indistinct smile. “Yeah, yeah… I’ve never been better.” She utters and doesn’t miss the way Mal’s nose scrunches up in response; the same way it always does when she finds something funny. 

“How long have I been asleep..?” Evie wonders aloud just as multiple other questions hit her all at once. “Is Ben okay? Did we win the fight? I thought you weren’t coming back—.” She’s interrupted by Mal, who looks incredibly shellshocked, holding up her hands and gesturing for Evie to slow down before she hurts herself.

“Wow, E. Calm down. It’s only been three days since the Isle, we did win and yes, Ben’s fine. Auradon has their kind for another day.” Evie thinks that her last question is going to remain unacknowledged from the abnormal silence that’s followed after Mal answers all the other enquires. She can tell that Mal is contemplating it based on the fact alone that she avoids eye contact for a split second. 

When she does finally meet her gaze, Evie certainly doesn’t miss the way her green orbs glimmer with sadness. “After the fight at Uma’s ship, when we got to the limo… We didn’t know if you were going to make it or not. You were unconscious and barely breathing, E. I was so scared.” A pause intervenes and Mal shuts her eyes tight before blindly reaching out to intertwine their hands. “I wasn’t going to stay on the Isle when I didn’t know if my best friend was going to live or die.” 

Right then and there, Evie thinks, is when she grasps the extent of her love for Mal. Just listening to the sound of her strained voice, overwhelmed with pure worry has her believing that maybe her feelings aren’t one-sided after all; that maybe she can finally be true to herself and be happy with Mal, that they can be happy together. All the restraint she’s spent years building up is knocked down in one swift movement, and Evie has absolutely no defence against it. 

“I love you.” The words tumble out more coherently than she expected, despite the feeling that her stomach is in knots and her heart is ready to burst out of her chest. 

Mal blinks, processing what has just been spoken between them before a sweet, naive smile forms on her features. “I love you too, Evie.” 

She doesn’t understand. There’s no way she can when those words have been spoken so many times and have had no other meaning than two best friends simply expressing their devotion to one another. 

If she can’t hear what Evie is really trying to say, then she’ll show her. 

Her grip on Mal's hands tighten slightly as she inhales deeply, closing her eyes. She doesn't think about what she's seconds away from doing, only moves in closer until the gap between them has steadily shrunk and she's close enough to feel the girl's breath on her skin. One last push forward is all it takes before their lips are joined together in a subtle yet heartfelt kiss.

Kissing Mal feels like falling asleep and waking up all at once. It sends the same electricity whenever they touch through her body, except this time it’s so potent that Evie’s left in a dreamlike state when she eventually pulls away. 

She doesn’t want to open her eyes and face the reality of what she’s just done. The only thing she wants is to savour the taste of strawberries and the way Mal’s full lips fit perfectly with hers. 

By now Evie’s learnt that she never gets what she wants. 

“Evie…? I have to tell you something.” Her eyes flutter open at the sound of Mal’s voice and the anticipation of what’s about to be revealed makes her both equally terrified and excited. 

Evie finds herself unable to speak, her throat closed up with nerves so she settles for staring at Mal with curious eyes. 

“Ben and I… we’re together again.” Time seems to slow down once she comprehends what exactly Mal is telling her here and her entire world comes crashing down as she continues, “We worked things out when we got back and I went to Cotillion with him.” 

The taste of Mal burns to ashes on her lips and all she’s left with are the remains of her hopes and dreams. Because Mal already has her prince, so why would she need a princess?

“Oh! I see. Good, good. I’m happy for you.” She stutters out, trying her hardest to ignore the way her voice gives away the fact she’s on the verge of tears. 

_Princesses don’t cry, Evie._

Mal senses this, because that’s just what she does, and leans forward to offer some sort of comfort, but Evie can’t. She can’t let herself fall into another trap, not when the scar on her heart is so fresh and stings with every inhale of air she takes.

Her hands slip out of Mal’s grasp and almost instantly she misses the warmth. “Could you… leave? I want to get some rest.” Once again, the fey attempts to console Evie, mumbling the nickname that typically makes her give in to whatever follows. “E…” 

“Please, Mal. Leave.” The stern tone of voice and unyielding stare which accompany her words are enough to let Mal know that she’s not going to change her mind. She doesn’t want to talk about what happened, all she wants is to sleep and forget. Forget until she can't feel anymore. 

Evie loosely slithers down under the sheets and turns away from where Mal is seated, letting her head hit the pillow. All she hears is the sound of footsteps leading towards the door, then a heavy sigh and the door slamming shut. 

After that there’s nothing holding back the tears from falling down her cheeks and for the first time since leaving the Isle, she listens to the voice telling her that she’ll never be good enough. Not for a prince, nor even for a dragon. 

Evie is nothing compared to the princes here and the hollow place in her chest throbs immensely when she imagines the one girl she’s ever loved with someone else, making her completely forget about the wound on her side. That feels like a small prick in contrast to the way her heart feels so empty.

She refuses to fall asleep, afraid that she'll only be greeted with the same dream that told her all she needed to do was wake up to be with Mal. 

It was a lie. 

There’s no happy ending for her in Auradon. There never was. 

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first multi-chapter fic, so hopefully it isn't too bad!! Also, if you think I'm going to let Evie be happy, honey, you got a big storm coming.
> 
> leave me questions or other prompts on my tumblr!! 
> 
> http://sapphicevie.tumblr.com/


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